


Under That Mistletoe

by haunter



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-26
Updated: 2011-12-26
Packaged: 2017-10-28 03:53:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/303447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haunter/pseuds/haunter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dave's throwing his annual Christmas party, and this year the trolls are invited. John finally works himself up enough confidence to tell Karkat how he really feels.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Under That Mistletoe

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for the 16 teenagers in Dave Strider's apartment building.

"We got your cheese puffs, your shitty Christmas cookies, your kool-aid, your chips and dip, and of course, booze." Dave's parties were always the same: food, music, and alcohol. Granted not a lot of people drank, but the option was always open. Christmas parties were different though. Dave (with the help of Jade) made an effort to decorate, cook and even clean.

As Dave showed around his latest arrivals, Rose was frivolously texting her girlfriend by the punch bowl.

"It's unlike her to be so late," she said agitatedly to John.

"Rose, the party started like 20 minutes ago. Calm down, I'm sure she's just putting on makeup or something girly like that!"

"Makeup? John do you know anything about Kanaya? She's always prepared. And I wouldn't be so restless if I didn't have a very important gift for her."

"Whatever," John rolled his eyes at his friend as he poured some punch. "Do you think Karkat is coming?"

"Oh boy, I hope so. I've got some tricks up my sleeve for that one," Dave cut in, laughing to himself. "Did you know he's never heard of a mistletoe? Tonight is going down in the books, my friends."

"Dave don't! You're so mean to him, you know? He's just a troll living in a human world, trying to be multicultural and shit. Cut him some slack, especially tonight," John said punching Dave playfully.

"You know, if you want to get in his pants so badly, just do it. You guys could do it on Bro's bed, shit would be ironic as hell. I could even let you barrow one of my scented condoms and-"

"That'll be enough, Dave," Rose interrupted before John's face turned fire engine red. The look on his face was a mix of horror and embarrassment, and the color on his face was quickly rising.

"I'll be right back," John said as he rushed out of the room and onto the balcony of the apartment. As he stood outside in the cold, John tried to think about anything other than Karkat. He was failing. All John could think about was Karkat's loud obnoxious voice, how he loved to scream profanities at John, and how John secretly loved it. John loved Karkat's insults the best of all his friend's shitty insults, because Karkat always put so much thought and detail into them, even though they were meaningless.

Karkat didn't truly wanted to rip Johns lungs out and feed them to the sewer rats, all while recording it so it would someday become a hit video on the Internet. But it sure was adorable to know that Karkat would go through all that trouble to insult John.

John sighed as he looked out at the city landscape before him. It was dark and cold, but the Christmas lights throughout the city brought a smile to John's face.

Tonight was the night.

He didn't know how or when, but he was going to show Karkat Vantas that he wanted to be more than friends.

Back inside Rose was scolding Dave on the subject of Karkat and John's relationship. Nepeta watched as Rose hit Dave many times, and laughed when Dave ran away to escape her nagging lecture. "Don't you mess this up, _cool_ kid!"

Nepeta ran after Dave into his own room. His back was turned to her and he seemed to be digging through a bag on his bed. Nepeta crept up on him and pounced on his back. "Whoa there, my feline friend. I'm not made of steel like Ponybro." Dave tried to support her weight but collapsed on his bed. "There a reason you're sneaking and pouncing?"

Nepeta giggled and attacked Dave in a hug. They weren't the best of friends, but Dave suspected she had a crush on him and usually went along with her games.

"No reason, just bored! Equius is with Aradia and I have no one to play with! Terezi isn't here yet!" She playfully pawed at his hair as they sat on his bed awkwardly.

"Yeah, well she's getting a ride with Kitty and the Snooty One. And I guess they're late."

"Kitty? What a silly name for Karkat! Speaking of Karkat, wouldn't he be a purrfect matesprit for John?"

"Yeah, why not? I'm setting up this mistletoe; maybe they'll put it to good use. I was actually about to send him a picture of some right before you attacked me," Dave said as he got back up and picked up the mistletoe from his bed. "Come on, wanna help me hang them?"

"Sure!"

As Dave and Nepeta hung mistletoe throughout the apartment, John sat on the couch with Tavros and Gamzee watching one of the classic Christmas movies. John tried to pay attention to the movie but couldn't get his mind of tonight's later events. He was still devising a plan, but he wanted it to be more natural than anything else. It was a lot for a teenage boy to think about, especially when you weren't sure on the other's sexuality.

"Dude, he's so gay," Dave told him as John stared aimlessly at the door.

"What? How did you.. Stop doing that!"

Suddenly John's phone went off. He opened it to find a text message from Karkat. He smiled when he read it.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS MISTLETOE AND WHY DOES STRIDER KEEP SENDING ME PICTURES OF IT? SHOULD I BE SCARED?"

John replied with, "i'll explain when you get here which better be soon!" and put his phone away.

He knew exactly how he'd tell Karkat how he felt now.

Minutes later Kanaya, Terezi, Sollux and Karkat burst through Dave's apartment door. While the others went their separate ways to give gifts, Karkat went straight to John.

Karkat was sporting a festive red Christmas sweater and a scowl. "What the everloving fuck is mistletoe, why are they EVERYWHERE and why is Dave acting like I don't exist?!"

John looked to where Dave was, and suddenly saw Rose's sharp glances directed at him. What a good friend.

"Dave is being punished by Rose. As to why there are mistletoes everywhere, I don't know! Dave and Nepeta kind of went crazy with them, but they sure do look nice!"

"Yes, while they do add to cheery Christmas fuckery, I still don't know what they're for!!!"

John laughed, and pulled Karkat's arm. "Come on, follow me. I'll show you, grumpy!"

John led them to the mistletoe farthest from everyone else. It was under the door of the balcony, which John slid open. John signaled for Karkat to stand directly under it with him. He looked out for a moment and saw the city landscape once more.

The brisk air touched his face as he thought, _This is it._

John's heart was racing as he turned to look at Karkat. The tension was rising, and so was the heat in his face.

"Well? Is there any point to our foolishness right now? Or is this some big fucking prank by Strider? I swear to god if this is, I will rip both of your organs out and string them on the tree while Terezi sings her shitty Christmas carols and-"

Karkat was cut off by John's lips connecting to his.


End file.
